Russia's EU envoy does not expect Pompeo to take mild approach

Russia’s envoy to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov commented on the appointment of Michael Pompeo as US Secretary of State, noting that he does not expect him to take a too mild approach.

Chizhov also said that the dismissal of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is not connected to the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergey Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, TASS reported.

"I’m convinced that first, he [Rex Tillerson] was fired as the Secretary of State not due to this episode. Second, I have no grounds to expect his successor to take a too mild approach," Chizhov told Euronews TV channel.

Yesterday, US President Donald Trump announced that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had been dismissed and Michael Pompeo, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, would replace him. Later, Tillerson announced that he would step down on March 31.